It is desired to increase the active level of detergent surfactants in compositions comprising said surfactants in order to facilitate the manufacture of detergent compositions containing high active levels. In addition, it is also desirable to have surfactant compositions that are pumpable and generally easy to transport and transfer from one manufacturing location to a granulation site. One way to meet these needs is by mixing a chemical structuring agent to the detergent surfactant. Prior art includes EPO 508 543 published Oct. 14, 1992 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,925,585 granted May 15, 1990.
It has now been found that incorporating hydrophilic, finely-divided silica particulates as a highly-preferred structuring agent with detergent surfactant enables the formation of structured surfactant compositions which have high levels of active. Preferably, the detergent surfactant is in an aqueous paste form. Structuring of the paste means the addition of a chemical in a solid, liquid, or solution form to change the structure of the paste or modify its physical characteristics to facilitate the manufacture of high active detergent agglomerates which otherwise are not easily obtainable under normal operating conditions. In addition, when such structured surfactant compositions are mixed with other detergent adjuvants such as additional surfactants, detergent builders, inorganic salts, silica, and mixtures thereof to form granular detergent compositions, such granules are free flowing and easy to transport and transfer.